Date: 31/01/2005
Source: Department of Health
Title: M Tshabalala-Msimang: International Leprosy Association African conference
Speech by the Minister of Health, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, at the African Leprosy Congress
31 January 2005
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you to South Africa for this second conference of the International Leprosy Association to be held on the African continent.
This Congress coincides with the celebration of the World Leprosy Day. The World Leprosy Day was founded by Count Raoul Follereau, who was deeply involved in the fight against leprosy, particularly in Africa. Count Follereau campaigned to reverse the negative images associated with leprosy, as did Mahatma Gandhi. The ideals of Gandhi and his willingness to personally care for people affected by leprosy did much to change public perceptions of this disease.
One cannot think of leprosy without being reminded of banishment and exile. Of course in the South African context, the prison of Robben Island comes to mind. Robben Island was for about 80 years a home to leprosy patients before it was made a prison that is now synonymous with the triumph of human rights and freedom. I am delighted that many of you will be visiting Robben Island after this congress and that you will have the opportunity to see this place that is of historical significant to the ideals of freedom and democracy in this country and across the world.
Great strides have been made against leprosy in Africa and the rest of the world since the first meeting of the International Leprosy Association was held on the African soil in Cairo in 1938.
Leprosy treatment has developed significantly during the past decades. We are especially proud that African researchers have played a leading role in developing new interventions against this disease. We in Africa can also boast of our own leprosy research facility, namely Alert based in Addis Ababa. We can mention Davey's trials with oral Dapsone in 1948 in Nigeria, Browne's introduction of clofazamine in 1960 in Nigeria and the vaccine trials of Karonga in Malawi in the 1980s as just three of the many significant investigations into leprosy that have taken place in Africa. These studies have made a global contribution to the armoury against leprosy.
We have seen many successes in the fight against leprosy in Africa. These have been due to developments such as the introduction of multi-drug therapy and the very high success rates associated with it. The simplification of various procedures has enabled workers with limited skills to undertake leprosy work successfully and civil society participation in the efforts against leprosy has improved significantly.
African countries have demonstrated determination to work towards the elimination of leprosy as defined in the resolution of the World Health Assembly of 1991 and significant progress is being made towards the realization of this goal.
In South Africa, we are proud of the contribution made by our specialists who have published their findings in the International Journal of Leprosy and Leprosy Review. Their work should contribute in enhancing the knowledge of the international health community charged with the treatment of leprosy. I am pleased that at this congress you will be hearing a presentation by one of our dermatologists on South Africa's experience in providing leprosy treatment at a general hospital following the closure of the last of our specialized leprosy facilities.
Until 1977, hospitalisation for leprosy treatment was compulsory in South Africa. Specialized leprosy institutions began to close during the 1980s and in 1997, the remaining institution, Westfort Hospital, was closed.
We are pleased that leprosy has been reduced to very low levels in South Africa. About 50 new patients are detected each year. However, 40% of our newly diagnosed patients suffer from WHO's Grade II disabilities. This indicates that a large percentage of our patients are only being diagnosed after having suffered from the disease for some time. There are about 160 patients that are registered for treatment. At least 3 000 people have disabilities related to leprosy amongst the economically active age groups in the country.
Despite the fact that new patient detection levels have reached very low numbers as both a percentage of the population and in absolute numbers, we are intensifying the implementation of our leprosy control policy.
The goal of the leprosy programme is to decrease the current prevalence of leprosy in order to work toward the eradication of leprosy. The objectives of the programme are to:
* Develop standard guidelines for the early diagnosis and management of patients
* Prevent disability and rehabilitate disabled patients
* Establish a central register and measure treatment outcomes
* Ensure that there is at least one medical doctor with leprosy expertise in each teaching hospital to which leprosy patients can be referred
* Ensure that early diagnosis of leprosy is included in the PHC training material of health professionals.
Our aims are to:-
* Increase awareness of the continuing existence of leprosy
* Promote the early treatment of patients with multi-drug therapy
* Promote community involvement in case detection
* Ensure that multi-drug blister packs are made available at the treatment points used by leprosy patients
* Improve the knowledge of health staff supervising leprosy treatment to enable them to help patients and avoid disabilities.
In South Africa, leprosy treatment has come a long way, from the darkness and isolation of Robben Island to the bustle of PHC clinics in our modern facilities. However, we acknowledge that much needs to be done to ensure that leprosy patients benefit fully form the advances in treatment seen in recent years.
This conference provides us with an opportunity to celebrate the progress that has already been made on our continent towards providing treatment for all patients. It also reminds us of many patients who have not yet received treatment and the many people who have had leprosy and who suffer from disabilities. All these people need our help. We have an excellent opportunity here of learning from each other. I am particularly pleased to see that the conference programme has sessions dealing with "reaching the Unreached" and "Community Based Rehabilitation" which should facilitate the sharing of best practices.
Most of you have had first hand experience of the harsh attitudes towards this illness. We all have an important role to play in changing perceptions of leprosy and promoting the rights of leprosy patients. I am glad that this congress will also discuss the factors that impact on our interventions against this disease.
Many of you work in difficult conditions, providing care for your patients in innovative ways and for that I salute you. I wish you well during this congress and trust that you will be able to return to your work-areas refreshed with a deeper understanding of leprosy and better equipped to serve those whose health depend on you.
It is my pleasure to declare the African Leprosy Congress of 2005 open.
Issued: Department of Health
31 January 2005
Source: Department of Health
Title: M Tshabalala-Msimang: International Leprosy Association African conference
Speech by the Minister of Health, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, at the African Leprosy Congress
31 January 2005
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you to South Africa for this second conference of the International Leprosy Association to be held on the African continent.
This Congress coincides with the celebration of the World Leprosy Day. The World Leprosy Day was founded by Count Raoul Follereau, who was deeply involved in the fight against leprosy, particularly in Africa. Count Follereau campaigned to reverse the negative images associated with leprosy, as did Mahatma Gandhi. The ideals of Gandhi and his willingness to personally care for people affected by leprosy did much to change public perceptions of this disease.
One cannot think of leprosy without being reminded of banishment and exile. Of course in the South African context, the prison of Robben Island comes to mind. Robben Island was for about 80 years a home to leprosy patients before it was made a prison that is now synonymous with the triumph of human rights and freedom. I am delighted that many of you will be visiting Robben Island after this congress and that you will have the opportunity to see this place that is of historical significant to the ideals of freedom and democracy in this country and across the world.
Great strides have been made against leprosy in Africa and the rest of the world since the first meeting of the International Leprosy Association was held on the African soil in Cairo in 1938.
Leprosy treatment has developed significantly during the past decades. We are especially proud that African researchers have played a leading role in developing new interventions against this disease. We in Africa can also boast of our own leprosy research facility, namely Alert based in Addis Ababa. We can mention Davey's trials with oral Dapsone in 1948 in Nigeria, Browne's introduction of clofazamine in 1960 in Nigeria and the vaccine trials of Karonga in Malawi in the 1980s as just three of the many significant investigations into leprosy that have taken place in Africa. These studies have made a global contribution to the armoury against leprosy.
We have seen many successes in the fight against leprosy in Africa. These have been due to developments such as the introduction of multi-drug therapy and the very high success rates associated with it. The simplification of various procedures has enabled workers with limited skills to undertake leprosy work successfully and civil society participation in the efforts against leprosy has improved significantly.
African countries have demonstrated determination to work towards the elimination of leprosy as defined in the resolution of the World Health Assembly of 1991 and significant progress is being made towards the realization of this goal.
In South Africa, we are proud of the contribution made by our specialists who have published their findings in the International Journal of Leprosy and Leprosy Review. Their work should contribute in enhancing the knowledge of the international health community charged with the treatment of leprosy. I am pleased that at this congress you will be hearing a presentation by one of our dermatologists on South Africa's experience in providing leprosy treatment at a general hospital following the closure of the last of our specialized leprosy facilities.
Until 1977, hospitalisation for leprosy treatment was compulsory in South Africa. Specialized leprosy institutions began to close during the 1980s and in 1997, the remaining institution, Westfort Hospital, was closed.
We are pleased that leprosy has been reduced to very low levels in South Africa. About 50 new patients are detected each year. However, 40% of our newly diagnosed patients suffer from WHO's Grade II disabilities. This indicates that a large percentage of our patients are only being diagnosed after having suffered from the disease for some time. There are about 160 patients that are registered for treatment. At least 3 000 people have disabilities related to leprosy amongst the economically active age groups in the country.
Despite the fact that new patient detection levels have reached very low numbers as both a percentage of the population and in absolute numbers, we are intensifying the implementation of our leprosy control policy.
The goal of the leprosy programme is to decrease the current prevalence of leprosy in order to work toward the eradication of leprosy. The objectives of the programme are to:
* Develop standard guidelines for the early diagnosis and management of patients
* Prevent disability and rehabilitate disabled patients
* Establish a central register and measure treatment outcomes
* Ensure that there is at least one medical doctor with leprosy expertise in each teaching hospital to which leprosy patients can be referred
* Ensure that early diagnosis of leprosy is included in the PHC training material of health professionals.
Our aims are to:-
* Increase awareness of the continuing existence of leprosy
* Promote the early treatment of patients with multi-drug therapy
* Promote community involvement in case detection
* Ensure that multi-drug blister packs are made available at the treatment points used by leprosy patients
* Improve the knowledge of health staff supervising leprosy treatment to enable them to help patients and avoid disabilities.
In South Africa, leprosy treatment has come a long way, from the darkness and isolation of Robben Island to the bustle of PHC clinics in our modern facilities. However, we acknowledge that much needs to be done to ensure that leprosy patients benefit fully form the advances in treatment seen in recent years.
This conference provides us with an opportunity to celebrate the progress that has already been made on our continent towards providing treatment for all patients. It also reminds us of many patients who have not yet received treatment and the many people who have had leprosy and who suffer from disabilities. All these people need our help. We have an excellent opportunity here of learning from each other. I am particularly pleased to see that the conference programme has sessions dealing with "reaching the Unreached" and "Community Based Rehabilitation" which should facilitate the sharing of best practices.
Most of you have had first hand experience of the harsh attitudes towards this illness. We all have an important role to play in changing perceptions of leprosy and promoting the rights of leprosy patients. I am glad that this congress will also discuss the factors that impact on our interventions against this disease.
Many of you work in difficult conditions, providing care for your patients in innovative ways and for that I salute you. I wish you well during this congress and trust that you will be able to return to your work-areas refreshed with a deeper understanding of leprosy and better equipped to serve those whose health depend on you.
It is my pleasure to declare the African Leprosy Congress of 2005 open.
Issued: Department of Health
31 January 2005
Advertisement
EMAIL THIS ARTICLE SAVE THIS ARTICLE FEEDBACK
To subscribe email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or click here
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
